


1. I'm Confessin' That I Love You

by aba_ridemerenji



Series: Backing Track: A Shinji Hirako x Reader Series [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Love Confessions, sfw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-25 01:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16652128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aba_ridemerenji/pseuds/aba_ridemerenji
Summary: Reader takes some initiative with ya favourite jazzboi. Fluffy, teeny tiny bit angsty, sfw.The Backing Track Series: The OST to your relationship with Hirako Shinji – vizard, captain of the 5th, and jazz-loving clown.





	1. I'm Confessin' That I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> I HIGHLY recommend [listening to the song](https://open.spotify.com/track/13ow8LREqs4CCXyyCesnbz?si=uOz8az2TTH-gob8EzO6Zew) at the appropriate point in the story. 
> 
> This is the first in a series of one-shots that trace Shinji x reader's relationship through music. Yes, a lot of it will be jazz. Find all the songs in a handy playlist here (just paste the link in your spotify search bar): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/07tbGfXD8SzW2SyW24tc8f
> 
> Fics, headcanons and more Bleach ramblings are on my Tumblr, <http://aba-ridemerenji.tumblr.com>. Say hi!

You and Shinji had been dating for a while. It had taken some time, some pursuing, and even a mission into the Living World to convince you, and even then, you both kept it casual, never promising exclusivity explicitly. But lately, things seemed to be getting a little more…involved. You’d had your fun in the summer with him, with so many shared looks, and lingering a bit too long in recently emptied meeting rooms. 

But as summer neared its end, you found yourself spending more and more time at the fifth. Specifically, the captain’s quarters. You forgot about sneaking around even though you were damn good at it – you already knew some of the seated officers from your joint mission so it didn’t seem strange for them to see you around. 

Secret meetings gave way to lunch dates and late night talks that went on a bit too long. Hell, the last time you saw him was yesterday and all the pair of you did was drink, talk and laugh. You had been in a terrible mood from a particularly bad day at work, and dropped in with the intention of a nice, stress-relieving night of sex. You ended up being regaled with one of Shinji’s (very embellished) stories, nearly snorting sake out of your nose twice during the evening. You spent the night just sleeping curled up with him. In the morning, you woke up with his arm still snaked around you. His messy bangs framed Shinji’s sleeping face, mouth slightly agape. 

The rush of affection you felt gut-punched the drowsiness right out of you. You left his bed without so much as a goodbye.

So you made your decision. You made excuses not to see him all day today, not for lunch, or even a walk through the Seireitei together as you’d often done before. All except for a very public, short meeting outside a teahouse. You told him that you needed to see him tonight. A brusque, purely informative one-liner was all you could manage. The way he was looking at you, searching your expression, god. Another second and you might have slipped. A moment alone and you might have broken.

That was this afternoon, but now the last blue hints of twilight had been washed from the sky, and along with it, most of the warmth of the day. The first chills of autumn brushed past your neck. You pulled the front of your shihakusho closer together, pulling the thin piece of plastic you kept inside it closer to your chest as you took your time walking towards the fifth.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t that Shinji couldn’t understand the concept of being busy. He was a captain, for crying out loud. But you had become a constant presence, almost as much as the other visoreds who had stayed in Soul Society and Hinamori. When he woke up to find you gone in the morning, he brushed it off as some urgent Squad Two stuff. When you didn’t respond to his first text, he told himself it must be a busy day for you. Shinji even went to that new place for lunch, the one you said you wanted to try when you stayed over last night, on the chance that you might be there. No dice.

 _Ya could’ve at least replied._ Shinji glanced down at the read receipt timestamp next to his message to you. 

When you caught him on the streets of the Seireitei, he was actually on his way to the second’s barracks, creepy ninja security patrol guards be damned – Shinji wanted to know what exactly you thought you were up to.

Your short conversation ended, and it got harder to keep up his nonchalant attitude. He sulked all the way to his captains’ meeting, slumped over with his hands clasped behind his back, deep in his intrusive thoughts.

 

By the time you were due to arrive to his quarters, Shinji came to the conclusion that there must be had to be only one reason you wanted to…’talk’. _I can’t complain. Three months with that minx ain’t bad._

Instead of your usual greeting of “It’s me” or “C’mon Hirako, I’m sweating balls out here!”, you politely rapped at the door.

"Couldn't wait to get a piece of me, couldja, dollface?" He grins. 

“Shinji, please." 

Well. Even your signature eye roll was missing tonight. You headed straight into the middle of the room.

"I suppose it's about time." Shinji says with a wan smile, leaning against the doorway as you walk into his captains quarters. "Whatever it is you needa say, I can take it, doll-“

"Then why don't you pipe down for a little bit?" You spin around to ask him, a little edge to your voice. Shinji recovered fast enough from your curt interruption, and the mask of easy confidence was back as he shrugged. He mimed zipping his mouth shut. 

Shinji watched you walk to the part of the room where he kept his turntable. You took it off its stand, and settled on the porch just outside the bedroom’s screen doors, overlooking the garden. 

"Sit with me, Shinji." 

_What?_

Shinji bit back a quip about stealing his stuff and sat in the space that you patted, as you set the turntable between the both of you. 

 

* * *

 

 

It was perfect out. A cool, steady breeze, and a full moon. The warm glow of Shinji’s room emanating from behind you. You took a deep breath to steel yourself. If you made yourself look like a fool, well, at least you tried. There were only two outcomes to this, and if you got the one you didn't want, you'd muster up enough courage to walk away with dignity and composure. If you got the outcome you wanted...you didn't dare think it. 

You slipped the record out of your shihakusho and took the vinyl out of its sleeve, careful not to let Shinji see the cover, tucking it far from his sight. That man knew too much about jazz as it was. Lifting the lid, you put the record on, but your hand hovered over the needle. 

"No words, Shinji. Not until you've heard the whole thing." In your eyes were a silent plea he seemed to understand. Shinji nodded. You let your eyelids shut as you finally dropped the needle. 

The first strains of saxophone started. You caught his eyes widening slightly. That was it. You couldn't bear to watch his expression past that. You didn't want to sense the shifts in his reiastu and thankfully, he kept it under control after the initial spike. 

 

 

_I'm confessin' that I love you_

_Tell me, do you love me too?_

_I'm confessin' that I need you, honest I do_

_Ah baby, need you every moment_

 

_In your eyes I read such strange things, babe_

_But your lips deny their truth_

_Will your answer really change things?_

_Makin' me blue, Makin' me blue_

 

_I'm afraid someday you'll leave me_

_Say “can we still be friends?”_

_If you go, you know you'll grieve me_

_All my life on you depends, oh baby_

 

_Am I guessin' that you love me babe?_

_Dreamin' dreams of you in vain_

_I'm confessin' that I love you_

_Over again_

 

 

When you first heard it, it felt like someone had knocked you out, the accuracy and specificity of the words winding you. It was all there, laid bare. The emotion, the vulnerability, the yearning. It was the perfect way to come clean. 

After an eternity, the short song was over. A round of applause from the crowd, caught on the record, rousing and appreciative of the excellent rendition. True to his word, there was not a peep from Shinji the whole duration of the song. 

"Ah...so. Like I said, I had something I needed to say. Who better to deliver the message than Armstrong himself?" You managed a meek smile. 

Shinji replaced the needle, starting the song again. This wasn't the reaction you expected. Quick as anything, he was in front of you, gently pulling you to your feet, into the crisp air of the moonlit garden. All you could manage was a quiet gasp, as he gathered you into his arms, holding you close. He began to sway, leading you. Shinji curled one arm around your waist, the other hand lacing his fingers with yours. 

“Sh-Shinji..."

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Read my mind."

This couldn’t be it. Was this the answer you were hoping for? You pulled back, turning your face to him, the first time all night that you dared to look him straight in the face. His smirk was back, but it had an unusually soft quality to it. It suited him. 

"Don't tease me." You knew he wasn't, but what else could you say? "I just want to know where I stand.” 

He guided the hand he held in his to his chest, holding your hand over his heart. 

"Here. Right here."

You let out a shaky laugh, unable to contain your emotions. You could cry. And you did, a little. 

"Oi oi, whaddaya think yer doing?" He thumbs the tears away from the corners of your eyes. "I get a little mushy and ya turn on the waterworks? People might think I'm makin’ my girl cry. That's bad for my image." My girl. His girl. His.  

"Shut up." You laugh, pulling him down for a kiss. His hands squeeze you a little tighter as his tongue plays across your lower lip. Moments later, you break apart, both gasping for air. He speaks the words. 

"Just so we’re clear. I love you too.” More happy tears. 

"Then why'd you wait for me to say it!" You sniffed through your stupidly huge grin, giving him a weak punch in the shoulder. 

“Ow-ow-ow! You're just impatient!"

"Mm. You bet your skinny ass I am." You wrapped your arms around his neck, going in for another kiss. You moaned into this one, with more heat than the one before. Shinji seemed to get the idea. His hands slid down your back to cup your butt, pulling your hips into his. 

"I'm more interested in _your_ ass, actually." He lifted you, and like muscle memory, you instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist. His mouth latched onto your neck, making you loll your head back with a moan. You had to force yourself to grab a fistful of his hair to pry him off you. 

"You really gonna make me wait another second, Hirako?" You whispered, looking at him through your heavy lidded eyes. To get your point across, you rolled your hips into his. 

The little gasp you let out got Shinji practically Shunpo-ing into the room. He let you down onto the bed, pulling apart the front of your shihakusho with dizzying speed. 

"Careful what you wish for, doll face."


End file.
